Most common 2016 GMC Canyon problems
Share of the 271 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Canyon complaints by model year
Best Canyon years: 2011, 2012, 2019. Years to avoid: 2024, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2017. Compare all years →
2016 GMC Canyon recalls (4)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017.
Air bags › Frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016.
Latches/locks/linkages
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado trucks manufactured August 25, 2015 to September 24, 2015, and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured August 28, 2015 to September 24, 2015.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the console compartment door latch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on January 5, 2016.
What 2016 GMC Canyon owners say
Steering all 181 →
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became significantly difficult to steer. The power steering, the transfer case, and the anti-sway warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. Additionally, the contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH around a curve, the failure recurred. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle decelerated; however, the vehicle went into a ditch, which scratched paint off the front passenger's side plastic bumper. There was no injury sustained. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact was able to resume driving. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the power steering failed. The contact stated that the ABS and "traction control" warnings were illuminated. The contact stated that he pulled off of the road and turned the vehicle off and on several times and the power steering regained functionality. The contact stated that the power steering failure had been intermittent initially but had become a recurring failure that would occur at any speed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed showing a C0545 code (steering wheel torque sensor malfunction) and determined that the steering gear assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V213000 (Steering). …
Transmission & drivetrain all 39 →
Water coolant valve, and torque converter. my Truck temp gage will fluctuate towards red line and back to normal. Torque converter caused my vehicle to shake, vibrate, slow accelerating, made it seem vehicle will shut off on highway or in heavy traffic. I went to several mechanics, including the dealerships and they fixed my water coolant valve but issue persisted, the dealerships said my truck was running fine until I had requested to ride along with mechanic, that's when he guessed it would be torque converter. has not been inspected, just test drove and replaced by mechanic no lights indicated on dash board and I felt the shake and vibration around 08/01/2021 and reported to dealership. The water temp gage was reported back in Nov 2018 but the problem still persist.
At random the power steering and traction control turn off making it difficult to drive.. This happens randomly and has become unable to steer. Once the vehicle is turned off for a period of time you can start it up and the steering returns. The issue was reported in the 2015 models. That recall needs to extend into the 2016 models since most of the parts were most likely manufactured tot eh same specs as the 2015. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent repair shop. The dealership wanted $200 for just the diagnostics. Every time this happens it becomes very difficult to drive and is a safety issue. The issue first appeared 2 months ago and after the restart stopped. Then all of a sudden it seems to occur daily.
Electrical system all 38 →
On [redacted] at approximately 5:30p, I was driving normal highway speed when I saw what I thought was exhaust trailing behind. There were NO dash warning lights, engine temperature showing normal range, car was performing normally. I pulled over to shoulder, turned off car, released the hood latch. My husband tried to open hood but it was too hot. We then realized it was smoke coming from under hood, not exhaust. Smoke began to come inside car through vents. I quickly exited the car, and within a minute the entire front end engine area was engulfed in flames. 911 was called, fire, police, highway patrol responded. Fortunately there was no injury to myself or husband. There was also concern of starting a brushfire risk here in SoCal, but it was all extinguished thoroughly. Truck was towed to Al's Towing, 475 W Vermont Ave, Escondido CA 92025, ph [phone]. …
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that the headlights failed to activate automatically. Additionally, one of the phone charger ports had become inoperable. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. A message advising that the power steering was inoperable and to drive carefully was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH after the power steering failure, the vehicle was pulling to the right. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
2016 GMC Canyon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.8L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 19 / 24 / 21 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 GMC Canyon a good car?
Based on 271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Canyon rates avoid: 7.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Canyon at the same age. It is one of the Canyon years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 GMC Canyon?
The steering — 181 complaints, 67% of all complaints for this model year, most often about column. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (39) and electrical system (38).
How many recalls does the 2016 GMC Canyon have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2016 GMC Canyon, the most recent from May 31, 2018 (fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Canyon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2012 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2017. See the full GMC Canyon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 GMC Canyon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 47,000 miles; 56% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.